Winterfest 7s: An Update from Buffalo!

Several of our Stars women play their 15s rugby in Buffalo both with the South Buffalo Sinners (Katherine aka "Big Blue", Cara, Mercedez and Rhiannon) and Buffalo Women (Kat aka "Buffalo"). This weekend the two clubs faced off the in the championship match of Winterfest 7s - mistakenly listed in a previous blog post as taking place 2 weeks ago. Maybe it was warmer with the later date? I barely recognized a few of their faces in some photos from the action as the rugby aftermath looked more like a Tough Mudder than a snowball. Cara weighed in on the weekend:

Here's an update from South Buffalo:  Big Blue and I played for South Buffalo Sinners as we took second place at the annual Winterfest 7s.  We went 3-0 in pool play, but were taken down in the championship game.  Here's a post tournament photo. It was really exciting for us to be able to come back from Vegas and share all of the 7s experience and tips we picked up there with my home club to help us develop as a 7s team, since we play primarily 15s.

BUFFALLLLLOOOOOOOO!

Kat and I met three LVI tournaments ago when I first played for the Beavers and she was there with Notre Dame University (coached by my friend and Lions 7s teammate Kate Daley). Since then she's expanded her rugby career greatly regularly travelling out of country to pursue higher level playing opportunities. We are Beavers teammates (and also kitted up for Seattle together in 2013) and now add Stars teammates too. Kat was a great get for our roster, winning best playing face by far - see right!

 

 

In her words:

 

 

I started playing fall of 2010 at the University of Notre Dame, senior year. I was in the women's boxing club at ND but was convinced to join by a friend to "just give rugby a try - you'll love it!!" Well I tried it, and after the initial frustration of not being able to pass the ball forward, I LOVE IT. That first year as a team, we made it all the way to the DII National Championships! After the season I was named a DII All-American. I played for the Midwest Collegiate/U23 team for the summers of 2011 (when we won it!!) and 2012. 

 

 

 

 

I moved to Buffalo fall of 2011 and immediately joined Buffalo Women's Rugby Club (BWRC). Looking for more rugby, I found the Toronto Saracens and fell in love with that team also. I was voted "best newcomer" at our banquet my first year, and my second year with the team we won the OWL championship!! - what an amazing experience!!! 

 

 

I have played with the Beavers in Vegas 7s and in Tobago 7s, and the Stars at Vegas 7s this year; I've also played in the Kinsale 7s tournament in Ireland with the Vixens. 

 

I love rugby, everything about it - the contact, the camaraderie it creates, the community, the celebrations. I love dedication of the players and the fans, the way people come from all over the world to cheer on their teams. I'm so grateful for the opportunities I've had to play with, play for and play against some incredible players and coaches. I had an awesome time in Vegas with the Stars!!

 

  Beavers as Breakers LVI 2013